1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ammunition. More specifically, this invention relates to either a projectile comprising a hollow body which opens when fired from a gun or a conventional solid base projectile. A series of vents or apertures are placed in the projectile body such that very rapid energy deposition occurs upon entering the target, yet the projectile is capable of maintaining structural integrity during launch, flight, and in the initial process of material penetration into the target.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tubular or hollow projectiles have long been known in the art. They have not been widely adopted for small arms use, although they have shown promise in terminal ballistic performance.
Generally, tubular projectiles for small arms of a given caliber are lighter than a conventional commercial projectile of the same caliber. This lighter mass has allowed tubular projectiles to be launched at higher muzzle velocities than a conventional projectile with a reduction in recoil.
However, by reducing the tubular projectile weight, muzzle velocity for a given cartridge case volume could be increased without affecting recoil. What is considered most significant is that my invention produces rapid energy deposit in ballistic gelatin targets, as compared to both conventional projectiles and generic tubular projectiles. Further, this invention may be applied to conventional solid base projectiles and produce a similar rapid deposition of energy in the target.